Masquerade
by HeartOfACrow
Summary: Hermione Granger has just gotten out of an abusive realtionship and is going to a ball. What are the possibilties of her finding a new love in one of those disgused masks. OOC and rated for future chaps.
1. Cinderella

"Hermione you look great." Two girls said entering Hermione's room. The one had red hair that flowed to her waist. She was wearing a green dress that hugged her and showed of her every detail and highlighted her green eyes (Ginny). The other was a blond whose hair stopped at her shoulders. Her dress was baby blue to match her eyes and flowed instead of hugged (Luna).

"You're lucky Molly didn't give you a dress to match your eyes to."Luna said looking her friend up and down looking at the beautiful gown she was given to wear. "You look like Cinderella with brown hair" She added the last part with a smile. Hermione did look like Cinderella. Her dress was white; the top was like a tube top while the rest of it flowed down in kind of a fluffy fashion. Her brown curls were down and reached just past her waist. And her honey brown eyes held more life in them then they did a couple months ago.

The three friends took a last look in the mirror before heading down the stairs. Harry, Ginny's husband was standing beside Neville, Luna's husband. They both wore matching black tuxedos that had either a blue or green rose on it. When the three girls arrived at the bottom the guys were staring at them with their mouths opened wide. Ron joined their gawking when he walked into the room (same tuxedo with a red rose. Molly needs to stop dressing these people).

"Now don't all of you look great? Now here are you masks, black for the boys, green for Ginny, blue for Luna, and a lovely white for Hermione." Molly said handing out the last part of the costumes to the young adults. "Now off you go before Mr. Weasly gets back with a camera. They said their good-byes before leaving the house.

"Do you know how much fun this Masquerade Ball is going to be? Really fun, Neville watch out for that rock." Luna said as Neville tripped over a rock. As he stood up Luna cast a quick spell to remove the mud and Hermione added one to prevent other things getting on him.

"We got Hermione back; it's going to be the best." Ron said trying to climb in the driver seat of the flying car. Harry stopped him stating how they were instead taking a flying limo.

Hermione couldn't help but smile. She was no longer Hermione Quinn, but back to being Hermione Granger. You see two weeks ago Hermione got a divorce, making her free of her abusive husband that never even let her out of the house. She married Gregg Quinn two years after her seventh year at Hogwarts, she was only nineteen but she had thought she was in love (Harry and Ginny got married one year later, Neville and Luna two years). Everything had started out good. They lived in a house surrounded by a river. The house was a two story building that had been there for years.

One day though a business meeting went bad and ended in Gregg not getting a promotion. He got home and took his frustration out on Hermione. He took her wand and broke it in half, didn't let any owls give letters to her or let her send letters. Hid all her magical objects and they didn't have fire place so she couldn't floo anywhere. For one and a half years Hermione had to deal with his abuse. He gave her black eyes, broken bones, bruises, and raped her (she stopped wanting him in a sexual way once he hurt her). It ended when a new house elf reported it all to Harry. Gregg got five months in Azkaban because there was no real proof. But it gave Hermione enough time to file and get a divorce. She now lives with the Weasley's until she gets a house of her own.

"Hermione are you okay, you've been staring off in space half of the ride." Ginny asked bringing Hermione off the memories.

"I'm just fine Gin. I'm living in the glory of being free."Hermione said. The last part put a smile on everyone's face. Even the driver smiled who barely knew them.

"In other news, why did mom give 'Mione the lovely mask and we are stuck in plan, black pieces of shit?" Ron asked sending them into a laughing frenzy.

"We have arrived." The Driver said. They all pulled on their masks climbing out of the limbo. The boys exited first helping the ladies out after them. Hermione was the last one out and the other pairs of people outside the Ballroom gasped at her beauty. The group walked into the room together, envy clearly flowed off of ladies or men they walked by.

A/N: So how was it? I really, really tried to improve my grammar and spelling so please leave a review. Oh and in most of my stories I'm going to put pictures of outfits so look out for those.


	2. Removing Masks

Draco walked down the stairs distracting everyone from the group of people who had just entered. He paid no mine to the men staring at him with hate for sweeping their dates of their feet; he just scooped out the room for his friends or for some girl to spend the night with. His eyes roamed the whole ballroom twice but still did not find one person he knew.

'Damn these stupid masks. I don't even know why I let my friends talk me into this shit.' Draco thought. The ball was being held for the first celebration of the end of the war. A new minister of magic had been selected and even though the war had ended ten years ago; he wanted a celebration. Now he is going to hold one every ten years.

'Blaise better not think I will come to the next one.' Draco thought. He fought his way through groups of dancing people to get to the bar. That's where he saw her.

She was sitting at the bar looking out into the crowd, holding a glass of water. Her hair was a light brown that fell in soft curls down her back. The top of her dress clung to her showing off her curves and breast while the bottom kept her deepest secret hidden under a pile of frilly layers. Seeing her made all ideas of leaving disappear, and as he walked toward her he was for once in his life, nervous. When he was standing next her she looked at him and his heart stopped beating. She had loveable honey brown eyes that were framed in a white mask with edges of lace.

∞

Hermione had been watching her friends dance when she felt someone walk up to her. She lifted her eyes off of the dance floor and up to see who she instantly thought was a god.

His ear length blond hair was loosely hanging around his head. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a white shirt, gray vest, and white tie. He had a white rose that had black on the tip of each petal. He had a nice build that fit the suit well and made her dream of what was under his shirt and maybe even pants. She followed his chest up to his face where she saw the most stunning pair of silver blue eyes. His eyes were surrounded by a black and silver mask.

"Um, hello." Hermione said as the man sat down.

'She has such a sweet voice.' Draco thought when he heard her speak. "Hello, I was wondering if such a pretty lady like you would dance with me." Draco said holding a hand out to her. Hermione slowly nodded her head and put her hand in his.

Draco led her to the middle of the dance floor never taking his eyes off hers. He noticed that a slight blush had risen on her face and gave a slight smirk. When they reached the middle of the floor Hermione put her hand on his shoulder but winced when his hand touched her waste.

Draco was surprised at first but put on a sweet smile when he saw the fear in her eyes. "Don't worry I would never harm you. You may not know me but I am a man of my word." Draco said. When Hermione smiled at him he put his hand back on her waist. The two of them danced around the room getting jealous stares from many people.

When the fourth song ended Hermione and Draco walked outside where there was a small pond. The stars were bright and they were led to the pond by the shine of full moon. They held hands the whole way there and stayed in each other's arms while staring out at the water.

Draco was the one to interrupt the embrace.

"Since we have been spending the whole night together; I think we both deserve to know who the other is." Draco said and reached for his mask. When he lifted it off his face Hermione gasped.

"D-Draco Malfoy?!" Hermione asked slashed said. She could not believe that she had actually enjoyed a night with Draco Malfoy. The one who made her years of Hogwarts a living hell. It may have ended ten years ago when they were seventeen but she would never be sure if he still hated her.

"Um, I don't think you will like who I am. It might just be better if I leave." Hermione said upset; she was worried that if Draco knew who she was he would never be the nice gentleman he was tonight.

"Let me see who you are." He said reaching for her mask.

___"Draco please don't."She couldn't stop him.___

___"Granger?"He asked surprised. He smiled down at her.___

___"Hermione?!" The mood was ruined by the one voice that scared her the most.___

___"Gregg." Hermione said looking at where the voice came from. There he was standing in the doorway, the one man she thought she was done with forever. Draco noticed how Hermione stiffened and how her eyes flashed in fear. He then realized that the man named Gregg must have caused the fear on the dance floor. He stepped in front of Hermione ready to keep the promise he made himself on the dance floor. ___

___He wasn't going to let anyone cause pain to the one he fell in love with (rather quickly)._


	3. One Dumb Shower

"Hermione I've missed you." Gregg said as he hurried over to Hermione and pulled her into his arms. Hermione felt like crying as she felt the all comfortable feeling she got whenever she was in Gregg's arms, that was why she fell for him. She snapped herself out of the feeling and pushed herself out of his arms.

"What are you doing here?" She asked him. Her vision was blurry from tears as she remembered all the good and bad times they had together.

"I'm here for the dance of course." He said with a smile.

"You know what I mean." When Hermione blinked a tear went down her cheek.

"Oh." Gregg's face twisted into a frown. Hermione knew exactly what happened when she saw that frown and it made her take another step back. Draco was jus standing there watching what happened, waiting for the man to do something so he could step in. "I got out for good behavior." Gregg stepped forward and grabbed her wrist before she could get away. "That wasn't very nice of you to get me thrown in jail you know." He squeezed her wrist.

"Gregg let go you're hurting me." Hermione watched as a teardrop of blood rolled down her arm from where Gregg dug his nails into her skin. That was more than Draco needed. He brought out his wand from inside his cloak.

"Let go before I blow your fucking top off." Draco said looking Gregg straight in the eye.

"Looks like you have a new little friend. I will see you later love." Gregg pulled Hermione roughly toward him and kissed her before disappearing leaving Hermione lying on the ground. Draco looked down at her as he put away his wand.

"It's time to go." He said. He bent down and held Hermione up. To anyone who was watching it would have looked like to people just simply leaving by magic for no reason.

--*--*--*--

Hermione woke up staring at a black ceiling. After a few seconds she realized that it was just a veil. She looked around her a saw that she was surrounded by a black veil and lying (well sitting) on a black king sized bed. She couldn't see much outside of the veil but the outline of a door, dresser, desk, bedside table, and another door. She looked when she felt a rustle of cloth and saw that she was still wearing her dress. There were a few splotches of blood on it. She looked over at her wrist and saw it was bandaged.

Suddenly she heard the sound of a door opening. She crawled to the edge of the bed and peaked out of the veil.

"Excuse me miss." Hermione was so shocked at hearing the voice that she let out a scream. She looked down at the house elf that looked scared and concerned.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"It's fine just don't tell master when he gets back. Bridget was just sent to wake you." Said the little house elf. Hermione climbed the rest the way out of bed.

"Is Draco your boss?" Hermione asked and the elf just nodded.

"Let Bridget get you new clothes. Miss can take a shower in the bathroom." Bridget said. The little elf just walked out of the making Hermione follow her. Bridget took a turn into another room and when Hermione went in, there was no sign of the elf. Hermione saw a large hot tub like bathroom and a big shower with a crystal door and double shower heads.

Since Hermione always listened to instructions she slowly took of her white dress and unwrapped the bandage from around her hand and wrist. She walked to the shower in only the white lacey piece of string Ginny called a pair of underwear. She turned the water onto warm and slid the thong off. Stepping into the water she let the warmth go down her body. She turned and put the other head on.

--*--*--*--

Draco walked into his house from his usual walk in the morning (it is like 6 a.m.) and he was greeted by a scream.

"Welcome home master." Bridget said as she appeared in front of Draco.

"What is the screaming about?" He asked as another scream resounded through the house.

"Bridget thinks that the Miss is having problems with the shower." Just as Bridget said that Draco could hear Hermione scream 'stupid shower I quit'. Draco let a small smile escape on his face.

--*--*--*--

Hermione got out of the shower and grabbed a near by towel. She wrapped it around her body and walked back to where she left her dress. She had no clue what happened to her dress in the short time she was in the shower but it was no longer there. In its place was a pile of clothes and on the top was the pair of thongs that she hated. Now they were even cleaner than before.

She regret fully pulled on the underwear and then held up what else was there, these clothes she had no problem with. She pulled on a pair of black boy shorts and a dark green shirt. She dried her hair and left the bathroom.

"Bridget!" She called. Suddenly the little elfish women was in front of her.

"Follow me miss." Bridget said. Hermione was a little slow at first but then walked right behind the women. She led Hermione down a large flight of stairs and into a dining room. Hermione sat herself in the middle of the table and waited for food like instructed.

"Here you go miss." Bridget said as she sat a plate in front of Hermione.

"Thank you." Hermione said politely.

"Bridget did you even ask her if she was hungry?" Draco asked as he entered the dining room.

"No Bridget is sorry master."

"It's fine Bridget and it taste great." Hermione said. She saw as Bridget smiled before bowing and leaving the room.

Draco walked around and sat directly in front of Hermione.

"You have a very nice home." Hermione said.

"Thank you I had it built myself." Draco said. It was quite for awhile before Draco said what was on his mind. "I think you should stay here." Hermione stopped eating and looked up at the man in front of her.

"What?"

"That man said he was going to look for you and he did. Bridget looked up your address and he has already been there."

"Oh really well…YOU WERE IN MY HOUSE (even though she lives with the weasleys she still has her own house on there land)!" Hermione yelled standing up.

"Yes." Draco said simply.

"Even if you did go in and I'm going to tell myself you didn't, how do you it was him?" Hermione asked.

"He left this." Draco tossed an envelope to Hermione. The note was addressed to her.

_Dear Hermione,_

_It was great to see you again last night. I have really missed you. But I would like you to know that I didn't appreciate seeing you with that other guy. But we will have a talk about that later won't we. I will be waiting for you love. And I took your clothes back to our house so they will be there when you come home._

_Gregg._

"You don't know how many rules I'm breaking. I am talking to a slytherin, one who use to be my friends biggest enemy. I'm in his house, wearing his clothes which are also slytherin colors. And I'm about to share a house which belongs to and houses a slytherin! I suck as a Gryffindor." Hermione said as she walked out of the room leaving behind a smirking Draco.


End file.
